Compared to short-term, long-term Mexican migrants to the US are more likely to have US Social Security benefits and are less likely to have Mexican Social Security benefits and public health insurance coverage.

Receipt of U.S. Social Security benefits increases retirement rates among return migrants. Return migrants are more likely to report being in poor health than non-migrants and this also increases the likelihood of retiring.

A Social Security Agreement between the US and Mexico would likely have important implications for retirement behavior.